ENGL 102 | Spring 2017 | UC Merced | Prof. Humberto Garcia

Romantic Poetry with Rime

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a sort of bewitching tale that sort of entrances the reader especially more coming from the rock style of Iron Maiden. The way the band performs the poem firms a romantic form and the content urges the reader to appreciate life and nature with it. It provides a more visual sensation while also opens up a different interpretation for the reader of the original text of the “Rime of the Ancyent Mariner.”

There is a moment amongst the song that there is a sudden pause from all of the exposition that the singer is throwing at the audience. In that sudden break there is just this soothing transition as it mellows out. It draws in the reader and settles them down for the remainder of the song however it does something else. As discussed in lecture, I took Romanticism to mean poetry that “convey deep and longing emotions” but not just that, emotions that relate back to nature as well.

The last stanza repeats the horror and truth that this song is trying to teach the reader.

The mariner’s bound to tell of his story

To tell this tale wherever he goes

To teach God’s word by his own example

That we must love all things that God made.

And the wedding guest’s a sad and wiser man

And the tale goes on and on and on.

Because the Mariner has mistreated the natural connection of life, he has been bound to keep spreading the word. Through this serious tone of fear and sudden appreciation, the message is getting across “that we must love all things that God made” however the repetitiveness of the song “the tale goes on and on and on” just to lure the reader in more final. It is a cycle that forces the reader to think about the message while also taking a deep look at themselves. It makes for a self-doubt and it criticizes the nature of who they think they are while also getting a connection to nature.

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5 thoughts on “Romantic Poetry with Rime”

This post is unique in that it says there is some sort of self doubt. I am unsure how that is related to romanticism, so I would be interested to hear more evidence on the matter. Interesting otherwise.

Most interesting idea: “Through this serious tone of fear and sudden appreciation, the message is getting across “that we must love all things that God made” however the repetitiveness of the song “the tale goes on and on and on” just to lure the reader in more final.”

If I understand correctly, you’re suggesting that the repetitiveness of “the tale goes on and on and on” in the Iron Maiden song causes the value of Romantic poetry of the natural found in the “The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere” to be effectively drawn out. The post could be improved if you cited perhaps a place in the preface that contained evidence of Romantic poetry’s value of nature.

I found it interesting how you say the Iron Maiden version of the poem provides a visual sensation. I like how you support your idea with the last stanza of the song and you go on to not only explain your experience while hearing it, but also discuss the meaning of it. I also liked how you gave the definition of Romanticism you were basing your analysis off to provide clarity for the readers. You briefly mention that the emotions in the song relate back to nature without going into too many details, so I feel like expanding on this could help improve your blogpost.
-Natalia Alvarado

Hey Alexis, I can see that you decided to focus on the appreciation of nature that romanticism carries with it. I would suggest you also include quotes from the poem itself. Also, you mention something about ‘how’ the band sings it and the imagery in the poem. I would like to see how imagery in the poem makes it romantic and ‘how’ the band plays that is romantic and how they both are similar. Kind of like how both of these pieces are upholding a large importance of nature although using different literary tools.
-Israel